Pastor Russell was born in Pennsylvania, and four months later his family moved to New Jersey, where they attended a Quaker Meeting. Shortly after being confirmed at age twelve, his family moved again to Maryland. After graduating from High School, Rick enlisted in the USAF and served at San Antonio, TX, Denver, CO, Spokane, WA, Kunsan, ROK, and Myrtle Beach, SC, where he achieved the rank of E-5 Staff Sergeant, received an Honorable Discharge, and most importantly, where he met his wife, Kerry.
Rick & Kerry were married in October 1987 and have owned/operated Oak Island Automotive since then. Kerry and God’s Spirit have always worked as the steadying influence in Pastor Russell’s ministry and life. Kerry has also served Christ and community children at Southport Christian School for over twenty years. They have one son and one daughter, and the family was baptized together in the Oak Island surf at the Mercer Street Beach Access by the Reverend Fred Roberts in June of 1996. After baptism and a welcome into membership, Rick was drawn into God’s Word and Christian Discipleship at Ocean View Church. Disciple Bible, Assorted Book Studies, Life in the Spirit Seminar, where Rick first received the saving grace of God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And then Walk to Emmaus Christian Retreat, Disaster Response Work Teams, Kairos Prison Ministry, and Homeless Winter-Nights Sheltering program were some of the opportunities which helped prepare and equip Pastor Rick for vocational ministry.
After completing the candidacy for ordained ministry and interviewing process, Reverend Russell was appointed to serve Herrings Chapel Methodist Church in Burgaw, NC. There he received the support he needed to complete five semesters of Summer Course of Study at Duke Divinity School. After serving Herrings Chapel for seven years, he was blessed to come home to serve Ocean View as Associate Pastor. Ocean View Church went through many changes during that season, as did the entire UM denomination. Disaffiliation was hard for many, and when Rick indicated a desire to transition to the newly forming Global Methodist Church, it caused an abrupt and early end to his eighth year of appointment at OVC. But, as the old adage affirms, “When God closes one door, He opens another.” So it was for Rick and the newly planted Southport/Oak Island Global Methodist Church! He owes great debts of gratitude to Pastor David Hubbs and Christ Coastal Church, whose most generous hearts God used for such a time as this, and in their season of grief, facing dissolution, Pastor David and Christ Coastal Church were able to graciously support and bless S/OI GMC with everything necessary to begin and to continue in ministry.
While he thanks God for all those who’ve blessed him and helped him in ministry along the way, he knows God has especially blessed him in his ministry at S/OI GMC. Rick was ordained an Elder in the GMC on January 01, 2023, surrounded by a community of committed brothers and sisters who shared the vision. Blessed to have the honor of filing S/OI GMC articles of incorporation on Aldersgate Day, May 24, 2023, and to see the newly planted church begin meeting together in July of that year, still even more thrilling was his joy of baptizing his granddaughters into S/OI GMC at that very same spot in the Oak Island surf!
God has surrounded Rick with many devoted, gifted, and generous ministers and church leaders, not only in this congregation, but with so many like-minded Christians and Churches in the S/OI community, and for that, Pastor Rick gives all glory, honor, and praise to our God in heaven, and Thanks & Love to you
